The only guy who loves 3rd party mods? Really? You are aware that only one single percent replaces manufacturer firmware with something different. I and I am pretty sure they all sit there wasting days trying to get it half as functional as it was before they clicked Confirm in Odin on their PC.Reply

I would've disagreed before I bought a Nexus 4, and subsequently ended up selling it. Touchwiz IMO is a lot faster for a daily driver, but not for people more obsessed with modifying/customizing the interface than actually using the phone.Reply

I think that a battery test that does not include any kind of game can not reflect a realistic use. I would love to know how, other than browsing, do different phones perform battery wise while playing, say Real Racing 3, or Temple Run, or Virtua Tennis.Hell, maybe even including a 3DMark complete run on the battery test could work.Reply

I echo the request for a game-related benchmark or five. At the very least one benchmark of a simple/puzzle game (Cut the Rope or whatever), and a 3D/more GPU-intensive game (though this is admittedlyproblematic with the rate of change of ARM silicon and generally high turnover of mobile games, anything relatively recent would satisfy me)Reply

I would like to ask those with a larger experience than me how many of these devices' drawbacks are completely amended with a simple trip through google play. For example, the camera interface. Stock camera is bad. Install Camera 360 or Camera FX. So, take any of these phones and give it to a experienced user, and after 1-2 weeks of tweaking (not counting installing new roms, or else what's the point?), they may as well have gotten rid of any drawback whatsoever.Reply

Maybe it's just me but there are a lot of things touchwiz does that stock Android lacks. Even with apps like Camera FX and custom ROMs (liquidsmooth, paranoid, stock CM are ones I tried) I couldn't mimic some of Touchwiz' basic timesavers.

Slide to call/message is indispensable for me. Also the camera app with Touchwiz is drastically better than AOSP, and frankly both third party camera apps off Google Play aren't as intuitive IMO.

Also the one touch drag-down top menu in Touchwiz is unique with brightness and other settings, some of the ROMs let you setup for wireless radio control but it takes quite a bit of tweaking.

I'm probably in the minority here but after going through a few Android devices, I'd probably take Touchwiz over stock AOSP.Reply

It still boggles my mind that HTC (or Google?) didn't pick the UMTS-over-AWS-enabled version of the One for this like the GS4. Seriously, what the #@#%$?

Anyway, not many surprises here. I would definitely dispute your advice that anyone who knows what AOSP is shoudl get the google editions--band options aside, I think anyone who is comfortable flashing a custom ROM is better off getting a better price from their operator. Especially with an easy S-OFF available for the One, there is only danger to your warranty if you're either foolish or experimental. I think the segment of people who should buy these is a rather small slice--those who know enough about Android to want the stock experience, but are not savvy enough to be comfortable flashing a custom ROM. For everyone else, there are better options available--whether operator-subsidized from AT&T or just flat-out $20 less from T-Mobile. Not to mention alternate colors, if that's your thing.

For myself, I already have a tmo One and will likely give CM another try once full code gets released to AOSP and presumably the niggling little bugs are worked out (did I hear you say bluetooth?). That said, I don't see myself wanting to live with the stock camera app, which was a big part of the reason I ditched my Nexus 4 in the first place, and while the Sense Gallery app is needlessly complicated, I do like the features it offers. Pretty much everything else is cosmetic, and that is easy to change.Reply

Agreed. But comparing stock apps is valid if you're sole purpose is to do that. But the marketplace is there for a good reason and absolutely no one escapes it by not trying new and different apps. There are drawbacks to using 3rd party apps however and there are expectations of an OEM app but this is really all meh as options are widely available to chose from.Reply

Why no Dalvik benchmarks? The vast majority of Google Play apps are NOT native. I am very interested to see how much drop in performance (and resulting increased power consumption) there is with AOSP Dalvik versus Samsung/HTC Dalvik.

Re: Browser benchmarks. The best JS engine always wins, even over better hardware.Reply

Wow...completely off topic, but damn! I can't get rid of my original 'Note' fast enough! Good. Lord! The speed, in every test on these new handsets just absolutely SMOKE the Galaxy Note and GSIII! Unreal...in some case 4-500% increase in performance...still another 6 months to go. Amazing though, the performance increases across the board in just one years time. The Note and GSIII along with the iPhone 4S were really the top of the heap about 13 months back. Now, those numbers are barely enough to 'anchor' your list!That said...pretty amazing how well the iPhone 5 has held up to the newer generation Snapdragon procs. It's still definitely holding its own...even topping the newer hardware in all of those GL/graphic benches. Crazy.Here's to looking forward to the Note 3 or SG5! Damn two year contracts. This move though by Google will make me second guess my next Android purchase....exactly because of this option. Forget the carrier subsidy. In the two year plan, you're always laying a helluva lot more than the 550-700 dollar range on these Google Play optionsI think that may be a third group to add....those of us in America, where the cell companies and their massive monopolous empire they've built on these '2 year' subsidies. Crazy....$600 up front and 40-60 bucks a month vs. a C Note for 24 straight months....that is easily a 50% savings on the initial purchase. Reply

Samsung includes exFAT to support SD cards >32GB under license with Microsoft.Because raw Android does not license this from Microsoft, can it provide the same SDCard support that Samsung does? I am doubting it - hence only half-assed support for >32GB SDCards.Reply

I wouldn't worry too much about the crappy camera, or a missing application, I'm sure there's going to be a perfectly functional ROM that will simply bring the HTC's or Samsung's framework to an otherwise AOSP ROM to run the camera app, etc.Reply

My concern is that the kernel is still being supplied by the respective manufacturers with Google only supplying the Stock Android OS. This can still lead to lack of ongoing support as newer handsets come out from HTC & Samsung. I'm not convinced.Reply

Contrary to what Brian wrote in his review, GS4 GPE is an AT&T variant and its radio does not include WCDMA Band IV (AWS), so T-Mobile HSPA+ will not work on this phone. Oh, and GP phone page clearly states this (under Tech Specs).Reply

Dont buy the HTC One. Had it a week. Glass broke first time I dropped it - six inches to my desk. Gorilla glass? Took four years to break my iphone. Antenna gate is alive. Have to hold with two fingers and several inches from my ear. And do not try texting in bed in the dark. Real trouble keeping the display lit. Phone keypad is odd on that first digit. And yes it has gremlins. Volume turns down to zero by itself. Surfs goggle all by itself. Camera just starts whenever.

About AT&T. Dont believe what they say about the protection plan. The deductible is $199 no MATTER what the store rep tells you.

It is beautiful to hold and touch. But put a $25 shock cover on an all aluminum case?!Reply

Not only did I buy one of the best smart phones of 2013, but Amazon has some awesome s4 cases at great prices. I'm so excited that I just wanted to share the deal that I received on my s4 case http://amzn.to/12zGpJ0 - Don't know how much longer these discounts will be active, but they have many.Reply

Do either of these have issues with apps/games? I currently have the HTC Desire, having issue w/game & HTC won't assist, saying they don't support 3rd party apps. Just curious, if I have to update I don't want same issues.Reply